He Sinks Like Stone
by taco's bell
Summary: Kink-meme fill. "There is a reason Steve always avoids the water. The Avengers learn the hard way." Teamfic.


Steve regards the scene quietly, reticent as always. The Avengers, there is a wry twist to his lips as he thinks this, might be mighty heroes normally, but today, they are nothing but children. He rears back slightly when water sloshes near his feet.

Tony, lounging beside him under the shade of an umbrella, tips his sunglasses down to slant a look at Steve. Steve narrows his eyes, prepared for a verbal attack and blinks when nothing comes.

Tony sighs, tucking his arms behind his head, muttering about how it's not worth his time. It's slightly demeaning, but if it guarantees his silence, Steve will tolerate the insult. He turns back to stare at the pool, and softens, just slightly. Agent Romanoff, no, Natasha, is at the edge of the pool, elbows set on the concrete, sipping on her drink quietly. At the shallower end of the pool, Clint and Thor are shoving each other over, some strange game that Steve doesn't know the name to. Bruce watches carefully from afar, a nervous smile tugging at his lips.

"Yo, Bruce, stop being a wuss, and join them!" Tony calls out, and Steve moves to rebuke him harshly. Tony doesn't know when to stop poking boundaries, and if Bruce loses control, then-

But Clint and Thor have already heard, diving and pushing Bruce into the strange intricate games of theirs, and Steve watches with bated breath. Bruce remains under water for a moment, before breaking out of the surface, and shoving them back. The men are taken aback, and blink when Bruce starts laughing.

"What did I say, Caps?" Tony is saying now, a condescending smirk directed at him, "Don't doubt a genius."

Steve resists the urge to scowl, turning back to watch. Now, they are together, laughing and splashing, although falter when they get too close to the deeper end of the pool, where Natasha resides.

"Shh," Clint is saying, "she'll go batshit insane if we get her wet."

"But she's in the water," Thor argues, feebly.

"Don't doubt her logic, man," Clint hisses, and flinches when Bruce quietly intones, "She can hear us."

They scramble to get away when Natasha starts to turn around, but she's only refilling her cup.

Steve allows a soft smile, and starts when Tony interjects, "You should trust them more." _Trust us._

Steve hates to think he's so transparent and replies, "I don't think you should be talking."

"Hmm," Tony hums, "I'm getting better at it, while you mope back here in icy gloom. Besides, I liked Bruce first, I think."

Steve frowns at his soft tone. "You're 'moping' back here too."

"I have my reasons," Tony retorts, and Steve finds it funny that Tony is so wrapped up in himself to forget that Steve could have his own. "If you were listening, and not pissing in self-angst," Tony continues, slapping open a magazine, "you'd know why."

Listening, huh? Steve thinks, eases his tense fist. He casts a side-long glance at Tony, who is pointedly ignoring him, face shoved in his magazine. Steve doesn't want to know what the document contains to hold Tony's interests. It is around this time Steve notices how quiet it's gotten. How wrong silence can sound.

He startles when strong hands wrap around his biceps, shouts when another pair grabs at his legs. He recognizes the arms of Clint underneath him, and the other pair must be Thor's. He has only half a second to speculate before he's thrown headfirst into the water, clothes and all.

The blue is a scary familiar thing, and although it burns, Steve keeps his eyes open as he sinks. His fingers twitch, muscles aching for movement, for air, but his mind doesn't comply. Vaguely, he notices smooth pale legs wading at the edge of the pool, and twists his head around at the sight of the bare skin. Another blind weakness of his, he notes, how he can't assimilate into modern culture.

Water clogs his lungs, and finally, he closes his eyes. _Let's settle this._

Darkness tugs in the corner of his mind, insistent, hands like that of a child. Except, something else is tugging at him too. Strong fingers clasping around his arm, _warm, _squeezing hard enough to bruise. The next moment, his head lands on concrete, harsh fingers beating against his heart, shouting.

It is then that he opens his eyes to blue, and when they meet his own, they rear back, panting. He hears someone getting out of that pool, and coughs.

"What was that?" inquires a quiet voice, _dangerous._ Romanoff. Blond hair drapes over his eyes and Steve bats it away.

"Apologies," says a deep voice, leaning back. Thor. Bruce prods at him softly, causing more vomits of water from Steve before sighing. "He's fine, just a little shocked, is all."

"Yeah, besides the fact he almost drowned," Clint snaps, tensing, and straightens from his position on the ground. He paces away, and Steve finds it oddly humorous.

"Don't melt on us," Tony says, and Steve thinks it's so hilarious that Tony can still be so insensitive. He sits up abruptly to tell him so, but he meets concerned eyes and falters.

"I'm fine," he states, when everyone regards him solemnly.

"Really?" Clint is saying, sarcastically, throwing his hands in the air. "You almost drowned and that's the first thing you say."

"Barton," Natasha warns.

"What do you want me to say?" Steve says.

"The truth!"

"The truth?" Steve queries, lightly. "Maybe it's the fact that it's been seventy years since I was in a large body of water, alright? Maybe it's the fact the last time it happened, I woke up _in the future, where everyone's dead._ All I ever cared about, okay?"

Silence permeates, and Clint falters.

"This time, I wanted to make things right. I should have died, all those years ago. At least, at least then-... I don't even know," Steve finishes weakly, walks away. No one stops him.

…

A beat of silence.

"I always manage to screw things up, don't I?" Clint snaps, leaves. Natasha moves to follow him, but hesitates.

"Well, shit," Tony says.

…

The Avengers Tower is just a little bit quieter, after that.

* * *

**A/N: **this is a kinkmeme fill, so. i remember the anon requesting that clint be the initiator which is sad, since i don't understand why he's always the 'bully' character. don't expect mind-blowing introspective, poetic dialogue and prose, or careful analyzations of character . thanks for reading, reviews would be adored.


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